Goodnight, Mei
by Hola-Meg-a-Cola
Summary: [Drabble][Mangaverse][Spoilers for chapter 51] Scar and Mei continue what they begun at the end of Chapter 51... Parental!ScarMei.


**Setting**: Manga-verse, spoilers for chapter 51.

**Sch-warning**: Sweet, sweet parental!Scar/Mei fluff.

**Disclaimer**: Sadly, I don't own FMA.

**Author's Notes**: Wrote this to Yoko Kanno- "Goodnight, Julia". It's from "Cowboy Bebop" and it's an incredibly beautiful song. It's also where I got the title of the fix XP This was started before chapter 52 came out, so I guess it's slightly AU. Also, I'd like to credit SoapCommittee for help inspire me to write this thanks to her beautiful drawing, "Outcasts". It can be found here:

http/ to GK mainly '_winks_': WHEN MEI GETS OLDER, SHE AND SCAR WILL HAVE CUTE, LITTLE, XINGESE/ISHVALAN, ALCHEMIST, HOBO BABIES!

**Feedback**: You know the drill XD

* * *

"Xiao Mei?" The young Xingese girl known as Mei called out desperately, her large eyes searching around the dim alley. Her soft footsteps echoed in the empty lane, her cries unanswered. She squinted her eyes, attempting to peer through the grayness that was overcoming the Central City sky. Mei's small fingers brushed against the scanty brick building, continuing her shouting.

The hooded man known only as Scar leaned himself against the edge of a building, his red eyes on the little girl. They had been searching for her small panda for over an hour, much longer than he had originally intended. He sighed quietly. "Let's go," Scar stated, removing himself from the building and turning his back, "dawn's approaching."

Mei turned around, tears threatening her brown eyes. "But, but…" She began, her lower lip trembling, "we haven't found her yet…" Trickles of tears rolled down her small cheeks as she thought of her lost little friend, wandering by herself in the cold streets. Scar allowed his hands to slip into his pant pockets. "We'll search tomorrow evening when there are fewer soldiers." His reply was short, and he began to walk away.

Her small hands rubbed the wet streaks on her cheeks, nodding her head and began following the Ishvalan man, moving her small legs quickly in order to catch up to him. Mei glanced at him, sniffling, her hands continuing to wipe away the tears as she asked, "What-what if something happens to her?"

"It'll survive one day by itself." Scar answered, his face hidden behind the hood of his cloak as the merchants of the street began opening their shops. Mei's fingers again wiped her cheeks. "_She_; Xiao Mei's a girl." She stated, sniffling, causing her to rub her nose. Scar said nothing, not bothering to look at the girl.

They reached the small campout where Yoki sat, a small fire burning as he rotated several pieces of food over the hot, orange flame. He gave a small sigh as Mei sat herself next to him, gawking at the roasting fish before her. "I assume she'll be staying with us, sir…" Yoki said to Scar, his tone unpleasant. Scar lifted the flap of the makeshift tent, responding, "Until we find this _Xiao Mei_, yes." He tilted his head, his red eyes focusing on the grey sky, the equally bleak clouds floating aimlessly. "There's rain in the air…" He mused aloud.

Yoki and Mei looked up towards the sky themselves, trying to see what the Ishvalan could. Mei squinted her eyes, focusing on the few strays of light the beamed through the grey clouds and fell onto her back. Yoki narrowed his own eyes, crinkling his hooked nose as he observed the morning sky. "It didn't rain all night, sir," He concluded, "and I don't think it will anytime soon." Scar glared at his servant; having grown up in the desert, it only occasionally rained, leaving his senses keen to any sign of moisture. "The clouds are gathering; it will begin raining shortly." The Ishvalan confirmed and looked toward a nearby building. "The building over there is abandoned," he continued, "Once you've finished cooking, we'll stay in there."

The former military officer sighed, his attention turning back to the fish. "If you say so, _sir_…" Yoki muttered to himself, turning the thin stick that held the trio's breakfast. Mei sat up, her eyes wide. "It's going to rain? But-but Xiao Mei's still out there!" She exclaimed, standing up. Scar sighed. "I told you we'd look for _her_ at sunset." He said gruffly and entered his make shift tent, dropping the flap behind him.

Mei turned her moistened eyes to Yoki, who currently was turning the cooked fish one last time. "Your servant is very cross with you, Mr. Yoki," She stated in a small voice, sitting down, "why is that?" Yoki felt the color drain from his cheeks; was the girl trying to kill him? It was bad enough that she called the murderous Ishvalan 'Mr. Yoki's Servant' to his face, but now she asks the mustached man _that question_ three feet away from the dangerous man.

Yoki chuckled, waving his hand at the girl. "Don't worry about it." He said quickly and glanced back at the fish. "The food is done." The flap of the tent opened again, allowing Scar to walk about. "Let's go." He muttered loud enough for the two to hear him, walking towards the abandoned building. Mei was on her feet in an instant, her arms outstretched as she ran towards Scar, smiling slightly. Yoki's head flickered back and forth from his master and the row of fish on the stick. "Wait, master!" He cried, panicked. Yoki stood up, the stick of fish still in his hands, and ran after Scar.

* * *

It wasn't until evening when Scar was fully awake and mobile. He had stumbled out of his sleep early in the afternoon, though he had not realized it; in recent years, the Ishvalan had become accustomed to only a few hours of sleep due to his constant traveling. When he had time to think to himself, he often reminisced of the past, life before the war when he lived quietly in his desert homeland with his people. However, this would always lead to the war, the sole cause and justification for his murdering spree.

Scar walked from his room in the abandoned building, looking around the room before him. In the corner, Yoki lay sleeping on his makeshift mattress, his snores thick and loud. The Ishvalan continued to search the room, finding one element missing: Mei. "Yoki," Scar called, slowly walking towards the middle of the room, "where is she?" Yoki twitched, rolling towards the wall closet to him. This did not amuse Scar. "Yoki, answer me." He demanded, raising his voice.

A low groan escaped Yoki's lips, glancing at his master through slit eyes. "Yes, sir?" He asked, half awake. Scar stood motionless, stating his question again, "The girl… where is she?" Yawning, Yoki pushed himself up and lazily looked around the room. For a moment, he thought to himself, twirling his thin moustache between his fingers. Finally, he answered, "Dunno," and fell back to the floor, slipping into sleep.

Slanting his eyebrows, he walked out of the room and into the hall way, muttering, "Useless…" Scar walked down the quiet halls, faintly hearing the sounds of other homeless people such as himself inhabiting the other rooms of the abandoned building. He pulled up his hood, covering his desert skin and crimson eyes; the last thing he wanted was to be caught by the army while finding that girl and her unusual animal.

* * *

When they had settled in a flat of the abandoned building, Scar had taken to his own room, leaving her and Yoki alone. Her 'benefactor' gave her one of the cooked fish before attempting a makeshift bed for himself. Despite having a Xingese appetite, she only picked at her dinner, pulling off small chunks and nibbling on them. When she had turned back to Yoki, he had already drifted to sleep.

Sighing, Mei wrapped up her food in a plain white cloth and placed it in her robes; she would give it to Xiao Mei when she found her. She pounced her small body onto the window sill of the sole window in the room, slipping to the outside world. Mei looked up to the sky; gray, swollen clouds were hovering above the city, the threat of rain very much real. She frowned, thinking of her shivering friend.

Though tired and cold, Mei continued her search for Xiao Mei, calling out her name desperately in the streets. Not long after she had begun searching, the skies opened, spilling out rain. Still, she continued searching the entire day in the same conditions…

* * *

"Xiao Mei…"

Mei rubbed her eyes, cleaning the cold water away. She stared wearily at the sky; what light had illuminated the sky during the day was quickly fading. Mei then looked around her settings only to realize she had come back to the place where Scar and Ed were fighting the day before. One would think it would have been a good spot to stumble if it weren't for the fact that she had searched the same area several times. The Xingese girl walked lazily to the cracked steps of one building and plopped down. Again, she wiped the dripping water from her eyes; this time, though, they were too warm to be rain. She whimpered several times, not bothering to rub away her hot tears.

"Quite crying," scolded a familiar, gruff voice. Mei's tired eyes gawked at the figure of Scar standing before her, water dripping from the brim of his hood. He slowly approached her, his steps splashing the small puddles that had been formed. "How long have you been searching for your friend?" He asked, his tone refusing to change. She looked down, twiddling her small fingers together. "Since you went into your room and Mr. Yoki fell asleep. I didn't want to go to sleep knowing Xiao Mei was out there somewhere, so… I snuck out of the window." The young girl confessed, her lower lip trembling.

Scar sighed. "I told you I would help you find her at sunset. Why didn't you listen?" Mei began sniffling, biting her lip. "I don't know…" She whined, her tears rolling down her round cheeks. Scar grumbled; the last thing he needed was a crying kid. However, she had been searching all day, not bothering to sleep or eat…

He pulled her from the steps and onto the wet ground. Scar lowered himself and pulled Mei's arms around his neck, her small frame resting against his back. The Ishvalan stood up straight, releasing his grasp on Mei's small arms when he was sure she was holding on and instead grappled her legs. Scar began walking through the large puddles, making sure that Mei was on tight.

She looked at him only for a moment before smiling. Her earlier thoughts were proven right, in her opinion; the Ishvalan was really a good man after all. Moving away some of the hood from one side of his face, Mei leaned her own closer. "Thank you, Mr. Scarred Man." She whispered into his ear. Before he had time to respond, Mei gently dug her soft, cold face into Scar's thick, warm neck. He had no time to scold, for a second later, she was asleep, her soft, child snores ringing.

Scar grumbled slightly but still proceeded to hold tightly to the little girl.

* * *

_Fin.

* * *

_


End file.
